Cebuana among drug couriers nabbed in China

A Cebuana is among the 22 Filipinos arrested in China for alleged drug trafficking last year.

A staff of the Department of Foreign Affairs-7 said the Cebuana was arrested sometime in September 2007 but refused to reveal her name because of the confidentiality of the case.

“Meron kami isa pero last year pa ‘yun and we could not determine the details because it is the Office of the Migrant Affairs in Manila which has the case,” DFA-7 regional director Angel Espiritu II said.

He added his office could not also determine if she entered China as an overseas worker, tourist or immigrant.

Philippine Ambassador to China Sonia Brady had expressed alarm over the recent arrests of Filipinos tapped as drug couriers into China by foreigner friends or acquaintances.

Carrying, trafficking or smuggling of dangerous drugs weighing 50 grams or more into China is heavily penalized by Chinese laws and prison sentences range from 15 years to lifetime imprisonment or death.

Brady said some Filipinas agree to carry drugs into China for money.  Those arrested claimed they were merely requested to carry “parcels” by friends they met at transit points in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Vientiane, Macau and Kathmandu.

A woman from Northern Luzon admitted having been promised $5,000 by a friend of her Nigerian boyfriend to carry heroin placed in 78 capsules.  — Ferliza C. Contratista/BRP